Childe Cycle
Encyclopedia
The Childe Cycle is an unfinished series of science fiction
novels by Gordon R. Dickson
. The name Childe Cycle is an allusion to Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came
, a poem by Robert Browning
, which provided considerable inspiration for elements in Dickson's magnum opus
.
The series is sometimes referred to as the Dorsai series, as the Dorsai people are central to the series. The related short stories and novellas all center around the Dorsai, primarily members of the Graeme and Morgan families. The first story published, Dorsai! was originally to have been titled The Swissman, a reference to the Swiss pikemen
of centuries past. It was published as a novel in Astounding Science Fiction.
While, on the face of it, the Childe Cycle is a science fiction series, it is also an allegory
. In addition to the six science fiction novels of the Cycle, Dickson had also planned three historical novels and three novels taking place in the present day. It is known that one of the three historical novels would have dealt with John Milton
, the author of Paradise Lost
. Judging from the frequent mentions of him in the published science fiction portion of the Cycle, Sir John Hawkwood
, a 14th century mercenary
, would probably have been the subject of another. At least one of the contemporary novels was expected to deal with issues of space colonization, beginning a thread continuing through Necromancer and concluding with the full formation of the Splinter Cultures.
As originally envisioned, the Cycle was to stretch from the 14th century to the 24th century; the completed books begin in the 21st century. The cycle deals with the conflict between progress
and conservatism
. It also deals with the interaction and conflict among humanity's traits, most importantly Courage, Faith, and Philosophy.
The final book, to have been titled Childe, had not been completed at the time of Dickson's death, and has never been published.
In addition, there are four shorter pieces and three novels that take place in the same fictional universe
as the Childe Cycle, but are not part of the core cycle.
In the latter volume, the stories are framed by a conversation between Hal Mayne and the Third Amanda Morgan
, during the events of The Final Encyclopedia. "Warrior" (1965) and "Brothers" (1973) had previously appeared in other publications. The four works have since been collected in one volume as The Dorsai Companion
(1986).
The three other novels are:
These three novels concern the background and development of Bleys Ahrens, the antagonist of The Final Encyclopedia and The Chantry Guild. They take place in the decades leading up to those books, and were apparently added to the original series outline to provide more detail of the ultimate conflict in Childe. 2007 saw the publication of Antagonist, finished by Dickson's long-time assistant David W. Wixon.
The first published reference to the Dorsai came in "Lulungomeena", a 1954 short story published in Galaxy Science Fiction
and later dramatized on the X Minus One
radio program. The narrator is a man from "the Dorsai planets," who has been working far from home for a long time. The story portrays the Dorsai people as tough and matter-of-fact, but says little else about them.
Many prefer to read the early novels in the order they were written rather than the chronological order of the events. Specifically, there are elements in Necromancer which are much clearer if one has already read Dorsai!
, humanity has colonized some 14 Younger Worlds. The inhabitants of these worlds have evolved culturally, and to some extent, genetically, into several specialized Splinter Cultures. This was done by the racial collective unconscious
itself as an experiment to see what aspects of humanity are the most important. The inhabitants of Earth (now called Old Earth, since New Earth is one of the Younger Worlds) remain "full spectrum humans" as a control.
The interstellar economy is based on the exchange of specialists, which puts Old Earth, the jack of all trades, at something of a disadvantage.
Of all the Splinter Cultures, three are the most successful:
Other Splinter Cultures include the hard scientists of Newton and Venus, the miners of Coby, the fishermen of Dunnin's World, the engineers of Cassida, the Catholic
farmers of St. Marie, and the merchants of Ceta.
The internal consistency of the series suggests that the resolution to be sought in Childe is the evolution of Responsible Man, individuals who integrate the three disciplines of the Dorsai, the Exotics, and the Friendlies to the overall advancement of humanity, and who do possess explicit if not yet well-defined paranormal abilities. As of The Chantry Guild, only Donal Graeme
/Hal Mayne has achieved the full status of Responsible Man. The conflict which drives this evolution is the developing war between Old Earth, supplemented by the Dorsai and the Exotics, and the organization of Others led by Bleys Ahrens, with the aid of the Friendlies and a powerful (but largely irrelevant to the psychological conflict) coalition of the technically inclined younger worlds. The strength of the Others is that they are hybrids of two of the Splinter Cultures (Ahrens is of Friendly and Exotic extraction), and while less capable than the emerging Responsible Men they are significantly more numerous, and more interested in gaining power for themselves (as by Ahrens using his combined background to manipulate the entire Friendly culture to support his war against the Dorsai, Exotics, and Old Earth).
's works.) It uses an application of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. During a jump, a spaceship's position becomes infinitely uncertain, and occupies every position in the universe, before resolving again at a specific point. The jump itself is instantaneous, but each jump requires a lengthy calculation. A jump is never exact, and long journeys require several jumps, each getting closer to the final destination. A certain percentage of jumps never resolve, and the ships are never seen again. Because of this, the higher the number of jumps, the greater the risk. By the 24th century, a ship could jump directly off a planet's surface, but only the Dorsai are brave/foolhardy enough to do this on a routine basis.
When the phase-shift drive was first invented, a jump would cause passengers severe disorientation. During the Necromancer
period (21st century), the disorientation was so bad that the technology was limited to inanimate cargo. The invention of certain drugs enabled human passengers to use the drive. By the 23rd century, these drugs were only necessary in the case of repeated jumps. By the 24th century, the jumps were hardly noticeable.
In general, technology is not a large part of the Childe Cycle. This is partly because the "science fiction" is used mainly as a setting, the real focus of the Childe Cycle is elsewhere.
weapons system of the 1960s, the Stoner 63
, which (like the "Dial-A-Gun" from the story) was designed with interchangeable components for reconfiguration as needed for a particular mission. While the Stoner 63 received significant use with the SEALs of the U.S. NAVY up until 1980 (With high praise regarding both durability and reliability, although it was a bit heavier than other comparable systems), the Dally Gun was considered a failure.
The main infantry weapon throughout the Cycle is the cone rifle. This simple weapon, patterned after the Gyrojet
series of small arms, uses chemical-rocket-propelled flechette
s. These flechettes are cone shaped, allowing them to be stacked into tubes. The rifles are little more than launching platforms with triggering mechanisms. Because the cones (which explode on impact) accelerate after being fired from the rifle, they are more deadly at long ranges than short. Also used are spring rifles, utilizing a 5,000 sliver magazine in a non-metallic mechanism to fire a sliver up to one thousand meters.
Power guns were used (in Brothers, Ian uses his pistol to slag a lock, sealing the room into which he has placed Kensie's body), as well as sonic cannons.
Skylark
series), the conceptualization anticipated the concept of cyberspace
and, of course, of wiki
.
s
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novels by Gordon R. Dickson
Gordon R. Dickson
Gordon Rupert Dickson was an American science fiction author.- Biography :Dickson was born in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1923. After the death of his father, he moved with his mother to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1937...
. The name Childe Cycle is an allusion to Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came
Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came
"Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came" is a poem by English author Robert Browning, written in 1855 and first published that same year in the collection entitled Men and Women. The title, which forms the last words of the poem, is a line from William Shakespeare's play King Lear...
, a poem by Robert Browning
Robert Browning
Robert Browning was an English poet and playwright whose mastery of dramatic verse, especially dramatic monologues, made him one of the foremost Victorian poets.-Early years:...
, which provided considerable inspiration for elements in Dickson's magnum opus
Masterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
.
The series is sometimes referred to as the Dorsai series, as the Dorsai people are central to the series. The related short stories and novellas all center around the Dorsai, primarily members of the Graeme and Morgan families. The first story published, Dorsai! was originally to have been titled The Swissman, a reference to the Swiss pikemen
Swiss mercenaries
Swiss mercenaries were notable for their service in foreign armies, especially the armies of the Kings of France, throughout the Early Modern period of European history, from the Later Middle Ages into the Age of the European Enlightenment...
of centuries past. It was published as a novel in Astounding Science Fiction.
While, on the face of it, the Childe Cycle is a science fiction series, it is also an allegory
Allegory
Allegory is a demonstrative form of representation explaining meaning other than the words that are spoken. Allegory communicates its message by means of symbolic figures, actions or symbolic representation...
. In addition to the six science fiction novels of the Cycle, Dickson had also planned three historical novels and three novels taking place in the present day. It is known that one of the three historical novels would have dealt with John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
, the author of Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost
Paradise Lost is an epic poem in blank verse by the 17th-century English poet John Milton. It was originally published in 1667 in ten books, with a total of over ten thousand individual lines of verse...
. Judging from the frequent mentions of him in the published science fiction portion of the Cycle, Sir John Hawkwood
John Hawkwood
Sir John Hawkwood was an English mercenary or condottiero who was active in 14th century Italy. The French chronicler Jean Froissart knew him as Jean Haccoude and Italians as Giovanni Acuto...
, a 14th century mercenary
Mercenary
A mercenary, is a person who takes part in an armed conflict based on the promise of material compensation rather than having a direct interest in, or a legal obligation to, the conflict itself. A non-conscript professional member of a regular army is not considered to be a mercenary although he...
, would probably have been the subject of another. At least one of the contemporary novels was expected to deal with issues of space colonization, beginning a thread continuing through Necromancer and concluding with the full formation of the Splinter Cultures.
As originally envisioned, the Cycle was to stretch from the 14th century to the 24th century; the completed books begin in the 21st century. The cycle deals with the conflict between progress
Social progress
Social progress is the idea that societies can or do improve in terms of their social, political, and economic structures. This may happen as a result of direct human action, as in social enterprise or through social activism, or as a natural part of sociocultural evolution...
and conservatism
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
. It also deals with the interaction and conflict among humanity's traits, most importantly Courage, Faith, and Philosophy.
Novels and shorter works
The science fiction novels of the main Childe Cycle include:- Dorsai!Dorsai!Dorsai! is the first published book of the incomplete Childe Cycle series of science fiction novels by Gordon R. Dickson. While it is the first book published in the series, later books are set both before and after the events in Dorsai!....
(alternate title: The Genetic General) (1959) - NecromancerNecromancer (novel)Necromancer is a science fiction novel written by Gordon R. Dickson in 1962. It was alternatively titled No Room for Man between 1963 and 1974 before reverting to its original title...
(1962) (vt No Room for Man) - Soldier, Ask NotSoldier, Ask NotSoldier, Ask Not is a Hugo Award-winning science fiction novella written by Gordon R. Dickson and published in 1964 in the magazine Galaxy Science Fiction. It is also a novel of the same name published in 1967...
(1967) - Tactics of MistakeTactics of MistakeTactics of Mistake is a science fiction novel written by Gordon R. Dickson which was first published as a serial in Analog in 1970-1971. It is part of Dickson's Childe Cycle series, in which mankind has reached the stars and divided into specialized splinter groups...
(1971) - The Final Encyclopedia (1984)
- The Chantry Guild (1988)
The final book, to have been titled Childe, had not been completed at the time of Dickson's death, and has never been published.
In addition, there are four shorter pieces and three novels that take place in the same fictional universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
as the Childe Cycle, but are not part of the core cycle.
- "Lost DorsaiLost DorsaiLost Dorsai is a science fiction novella by Gordon R. Dickson. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novella in 1981 and was also nominated for the Nebula Award in 1980.-Plot summary:...
" (novellaNovellaA novella is a written, fictional, prose narrative usually longer than a novelette but shorter than a novel. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nebula Awards for science fiction define the novella as having a word count between 17,500 and 40,000...
) and "Warrior" (short storyShort storyA short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
), published together in Lost DorsaiLost Dorsai (collection)Lost Dorsai is a collection of science fiction stories by Gordon R. Dickson from his Childe Cycle series. It was first published by Ace Books in 1980...
(1981) - "Amanda Morgan" (novella) and "Brothers" (short story), published together in The Spirit of DorsaiThe Spirit of DorsaiThe Spirit of Dorsai is a collection of two science fiction stories by Gordon R. Dickson. It was first published by Ace Books in 1979. The collection includes linking material and the stories are part of Dickson's Childe Cycle. The first story, "Amanda Morgan", is original to this collection...
(1979)
In the latter volume, the stories are framed by a conversation between Hal Mayne and the Third Amanda Morgan
Amanda Morgan (Dorsai)
Amanda Morgan is the name of several fictional characters appearing in Gordon R. Dickson's Childe Cycle series of novels and stories...
, during the events of The Final Encyclopedia. "Warrior" (1965) and "Brothers" (1973) had previously appeared in other publications. The four works have since been collected in one volume as The Dorsai Companion
The Dorsai Companion
The Dorsai Companion is a collection of science fiction stories by Gordon R. Dickson from his Childe Cycle series. It was first published by Ace Books in 1986...
(1986).
The three other novels are:
- Young Bleys (1991)
- Other (1994)
- Antagonist (with David W. Wixon) (2007)
These three novels concern the background and development of Bleys Ahrens, the antagonist of The Final Encyclopedia and The Chantry Guild. They take place in the decades leading up to those books, and were apparently added to the original series outline to provide more detail of the ultimate conflict in Childe. 2007 saw the publication of Antagonist, finished by Dickson's long-time assistant David W. Wixon.
The first published reference to the Dorsai came in "Lulungomeena", a 1954 short story published in Galaxy Science Fiction
Galaxy Science Fiction
Galaxy Science Fiction was an American digest-size science fiction magazine, published from 1950 to 1980. It was founded by an Italian company, World Editions, which was looking to break in to the American market. World Editions hired as editor H. L...
and later dramatized on the X Minus One
X Minus One
X Minus One was a half-hour science fiction radio drama series broadcast from April 24, 1955 to January 9, 1958 in various timeslots on NBC.-Overview:...
radio program. The narrator is a man from "the Dorsai planets," who has been working far from home for a long time. The story portrays the Dorsai people as tough and matter-of-fact, but says little else about them.
Chronology
The main sequence novels basically fall into four periods approximately a century apart.- Necromancer: Late 21st century, shortly before humanity begins star travel
- Tactics of Mistake: Late 22nd century, in the early development of the splinter cultures. "Amanda Morgan" takes place at the same time as the crisis of this book.
- Soldier, Ask Not and Dorsai! occur around the same time as each other, and overlap, with some events described in both novels. Late 23rd century, after the splinter cultures have fully developed.
- The Final Encyclopedia, followed by The Chantry Guild: Mid-24th century, as the final conflict develops among the cultures.
- The final planned volume, Childe, was to resolve the conflict which had been set up in the last two books. Its events would immediately follow the events of The Chantry Guild.
Many prefer to read the early novels in the order they were written rather than the chronological order of the events. Specifically, there are elements in Necromancer which are much clearer if one has already read Dorsai!
Splinter Cultures
By the late 21st century, human culture begins to fragment into different aspects. Following the events of NecromancerNecromancer (novel)
Necromancer is a science fiction novel written by Gordon R. Dickson in 1962. It was alternatively titled No Room for Man between 1963 and 1974 before reverting to its original title...
, humanity has colonized some 14 Younger Worlds. The inhabitants of these worlds have evolved culturally, and to some extent, genetically, into several specialized Splinter Cultures. This was done by the racial collective unconscious
Collective unconscious
Collective unconscious is a term of analytical psychology, coined by Carl Jung. It is proposed to be a part of the unconscious mind, expressed in humanity and all life forms with nervous systems, and describes how the structure of the psyche autonomously organizes experience...
itself as an experiment to see what aspects of humanity are the most important. The inhabitants of Earth (now called Old Earth, since New Earth is one of the Younger Worlds) remain "full spectrum humans" as a control.
The interstellar economy is based on the exchange of specialists, which puts Old Earth, the jack of all trades, at something of a disadvantage.
Of all the Splinter Cultures, three are the most successful:
- The Dorsai (Courage): The Dorsai, inhabitants of a Younger World also called DorsaiDorsai!Dorsai! is the first published book of the incomplete Childe Cycle series of science fiction novels by Gordon R. Dickson. While it is the first book published in the series, later books are set both before and after the events in Dorsai!....
, are honorable, elite mercenaries. Given the book-selling nature of their occupation, the Childe Cycle focuses mainly on their exploits, to the extent that the Cycle is sometimes called the "Dorsai series". The culture tends to have a number of Gaelic influences, including a love for the bagpipes, although their ancestry is drawn from all races and cultures. Dickson also mentioned in lectures that the "ethnic food" of the Dorsai is fish and chips, due to the great amount of surface water and oceans on their homeworld, with mutton being the most common red meat in the Dorsai diet. - The Exotics (Philosophy): The Exotics are the inhabitants of Mara and Kultis. They are peaceful philosophers, the descendants of the 21st century Chantry Guild. The traits which Dickson assigns to the Exotics in many ways mirror the Human Potential MovementHuman Potential MovementThe Human Potential Movement arose out of the social and intellectual milieu of the 1960s and formed around the concept of cultivating extraordinary potential that its advocates believed to lie largely untapped in all people...
of the 1960s, in combining elements of Eastern philosophyEastern philosophyEastern philosophy includes the various philosophies of Asia, including Chinese philosophy, Iranian philosophy, Japanese philosophy, Indian philosophy and Korean philosophy...
and religionEastern religionThis article is about far east and Indian religions. For other eastern religions see: Eastern_world#Eastern_cultureEastern religions refers to religions originating in the Eastern world —India, China, Japan and Southeast Asia —and thus having dissimilarities with Western religions...
with psychologyPsychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
. The Exotics clearly have some vaguely described level of paranormalParanormalParanormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure...
powers. They can, among other things, communicate between star systems far more quickly than a ship can travel, an ability no other culture has. The Exotics hire themselves out as psychiatristPsychiatristA psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
s and mediators, among other things. The paranormal ability of the Exotics is never shown definitively (save for Donal levitating with Exotic encouragement in Dorsai!Dorsai!Dorsai! is the first published book of the incomplete Childe Cycle series of science fiction novels by Gordon R. Dickson. While it is the first book published in the series, later books are set both before and after the events in Dorsai!....
), and Volume Two of The Final Encyclopedia reveals that their rapid communications ability is based the use of a carefully hidden network of spaceships used innovatively, rather than on paranormal abilities. - The Friendlies (Faith/Fanaticism): The somewhat ironically named Friendlies inhabit the worlds of Harmony and Association. Friendlies can be true faith-holders, or they can be fanatics. The difference, according to the Cycle, is that true faith-holders are guided by their faith, while fanatics use their faith to justify their actions. The Friendly homeworlds experience continual sectarian civil war. On their home planets, they are primarily agrarian, but, like the Dorsai, they earn interstellar credit as mercenaries, fighting in other people's wars. Unlike the Dorsai, Friendly mercenaries are draftedConscriptionConscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
cannon-fodder, with largely green troops and high casualty rates. However, they are tenacious defenders. While the Friendlies are sometimes presented as villains, their faith is co-equal in importance to humanity with the Courage of the Dorsai and the Philosophy of the Exotics. A recurring theme in the series is the experience of a young man placed among Friendlies, forced to gain respect for them. Dickson based the Friendlies on the Oliver CromwellOliver CromwellOliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
's "RoundheadRoundhead"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
s" of the English Civil WarEnglish Civil WarThe English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Other Splinter Cultures include the hard scientists of Newton and Venus, the miners of Coby, the fishermen of Dunnin's World, the engineers of Cassida, the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
farmers of St. Marie, and the merchants of Ceta.
The internal consistency of the series suggests that the resolution to be sought in Childe is the evolution of Responsible Man, individuals who integrate the three disciplines of the Dorsai, the Exotics, and the Friendlies to the overall advancement of humanity, and who do possess explicit if not yet well-defined paranormal abilities. As of The Chantry Guild, only Donal Graeme
Donal Graeme
Donal Graeme is a fictional character in the Childe Cycle of science fiction novels by Gordon R. Dickson.Although he only appears as a major character in one of the novels, Dorsai!, he is transformed into the character Hal Mayne who is important in the later parts of the series."The boy is odd...
/Hal Mayne has achieved the full status of Responsible Man. The conflict which drives this evolution is the developing war between Old Earth, supplemented by the Dorsai and the Exotics, and the organization of Others led by Bleys Ahrens, with the aid of the Friendlies and a powerful (but largely irrelevant to the psychological conflict) coalition of the technically inclined younger worlds. The strength of the Others is that they are hybrids of two of the Splinter Cultures (Ahrens is of Friendly and Exotic extraction), and while less capable than the emerging Responsible Men they are significantly more numerous, and more interested in gaining power for themselves (as by Ahrens using his combined background to manipulate the entire Friendly culture to support his war against the Dorsai, Exotics, and Old Earth).
Planets of the Childe Cycle
Dickson has admitted that he was frequently inconsistent on the total number of inhabited worlds. The correct total is sixteen, counting Old Earth, under nine stars. (Of the list below, Oriente is not inhabited.)- SolSunThe Sun is the star at the center of the Solar System. It is almost perfectly spherical and consists of hot plasma interwoven with magnetic fields...
- Mercury: Site of Project: Springboard during the 21st century. Not a major inhabited world.
- Venus: Hard Science culture. Research stations were set up early, expanded, and eventually became connected together.
- Old Earth: Homeworld of Humanity, and most populated and richest of the worlds. Politically not very united.
- Mars: First human colony to be terraformed. Cold, and is not a major power.
- Alpha CentauriAlpha CentauriAlpha Centauri is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Centaurus...
: Has 12 planetary bodies.- Newton: Hard Science culture, the leading world in science. It is also known to have the best physicists.
- Cassida: Hard Science culture, known for its technicians and engineers. A poor world, it also provided mercenaries.
- Altair
- Dunnin's World: A harsh, dry world, with low population and resources.
- Epsilon EridaniEpsilon EridaniEpsilon Eridani is a star in the southern constellation Eridanus, along a declination 9.46° south of the celestial equator. This allows the star to be viewed from most of the Earth's surface. At a distance of 10.5 light years , it has an apparent magnitude of 3.73...
: Both Harmony and Association are ruled by the Joint Church Council (United Council of Churches). Both worlds are known for their cheap but poor mercenaries.- Association: Poor world, lacking in many resources and has poor soil for growing crops.
- Harmony: Similar to Association.
- FomalhautFomalhautFomalhaut is the brightest star in the constellation Piscis Austrinus and one of the brightest stars in the sky. Fomalhaut can be seen low in the southern sky in the northern hemisphere in fall and early winter evenings. Near latitude 50˚N, it sets around the time Sirius rises, and does not...
- Dorsai: A watery world of primarily island settlements. Known for having the highest quality professional mercenaries, and for producing soldiers unlike any other.
- ProcyonProcyonProcyon is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Minor. To the naked eye, it appears to be a single star, the seventh brightest in the night sky with a visual apparent magnitude of 0.34...
: Mara and Kultis are ruled by the Exotics, and are known for producing the best psychologists.- Mara
- Kultis
- Ste. Marie: A small Roman Catholic farming world.
- Zombri: An uninhabitable small world. Despite this, it is a strategic location.
- Coby: Mining planet. A world of tunnels and mines, where the surface is uninhabitable. Since all the other settled worlds, unlike Earth, are metal-poor, Coby is the primary source of metals for the other planets.
- SiriusSiriusSirius is the brightest star in the night sky. With a visual apparent magnitude of −1.46, it is almost twice as bright as Canopus, the next brightest star. The name "Sirius" is derived from the Ancient Greek: Seirios . The star has the Bayer designation Alpha Canis Majoris...
- New Earth: Once had an atmosphere of hydrogen sulphide. By the late 23rd Century, it had long been terraformed with a more breathable atmosphere. Has a large variety of cultures. Atland, a territory of New Earth, had a civil war fought between the North and South Partitions.
- Freiland
- Oriente: an uninhabited planet, airless with a highly eccentric orbit. It is important only as a strategic military base in Dorsai!
- Tau CetiTau CetiTau Ceti is a star in the constellation Cetus that is spectrally similar to the Sun, although it has only about 78% of the Sun's mass. At a distance of just under 12 light-years from the Solar System, it is a relatively close star. Tau Ceti is metal-deficient and so is thought to be less likely to...
- Ceta: Commercial low-gravity planet.
Primary characters
- Necromancer
- Paul Formain
- Walter Blunt
- Kantele Maki
- Tactics of Mistake
- Cletus Grahame
- Eachan Khan
- Melissa Khan Grahame
- Dow deCastries
- Soldier, Ask Not
- Tam Olyn (as a young man)
- Jamethon Black
- Kensie and Ian Graeme (Great-grandsons of Cletus and Melissa)
- Dorsai!
- Donal GraemeDonal GraemeDonal Graeme is a fictional character in the Childe Cycle of science fiction novels by Gordon R. Dickson.Although he only appears as a major character in one of the novels, Dorsai!, he is transformed into the character Hal Mayne who is important in the later parts of the series."The boy is odd...
(Great-great-grandson of Cletus and Melissa) - Anea Marlivana
- William of Ceta
- Ian Graeme
- The Final Encyclopedia and Chantry Guild
- Hal MayneDonal GraemeDonal Graeme is a fictional character in the Childe Cycle of science fiction novels by Gordon R. Dickson.Although he only appears as a major character in one of the novels, Dorsai!, he is transformed into the character Hal Mayne who is important in the later parts of the series."The boy is odd...
- Tam Olyn (as a very old man)
- Bleys Ahrens
- Amanda MorganAmanda Morgan (Dorsai)Amanda Morgan is the name of several fictional characters appearing in Gordon R. Dickson's Childe Cycle series of novels and stories...
(the third of that name)
Technology
Throughout the series, Dickson's primary interest is the characters, not the hardware, much of which is explained only to the point where the reader will understand how it relates to the people around it and thus share the author's imagery.Hyperdrive
The invention of the phase-shift drive allowed the colonization of the Younger Worlds. (The drive used in the Childe Cycle appears in many of Gordon R. DicksonGordon R. Dickson
Gordon Rupert Dickson was an American science fiction author.- Biography :Dickson was born in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1923. After the death of his father, he moved with his mother to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1937...
's works.) It uses an application of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. During a jump, a spaceship's position becomes infinitely uncertain, and occupies every position in the universe, before resolving again at a specific point. The jump itself is instantaneous, but each jump requires a lengthy calculation. A jump is never exact, and long journeys require several jumps, each getting closer to the final destination. A certain percentage of jumps never resolve, and the ships are never seen again. Because of this, the higher the number of jumps, the greater the risk. By the 24th century, a ship could jump directly off a planet's surface, but only the Dorsai are brave/foolhardy enough to do this on a routine basis.
When the phase-shift drive was first invented, a jump would cause passengers severe disorientation. During the Necromancer
Necromancer (novel)
Necromancer is a science fiction novel written by Gordon R. Dickson in 1962. It was alternatively titled No Room for Man between 1963 and 1974 before reverting to its original title...
period (21st century), the disorientation was so bad that the technology was limited to inanimate cargo. The invention of certain drugs enabled human passengers to use the drive. By the 23rd century, these drugs were only necessary in the case of repeated jumps. By the 24th century, the jumps were hardly noticeable.
In general, technology is not a large part of the Childe Cycle. This is partly because the "science fiction" is used mainly as a setting, the real focus of the Childe Cycle is elsewhere.
Weapons
A large part of the series focuses on the exploits of the Dorsai. In the face of escalating countermeasures, the Dorsai choose to use relatively simple weapons, which are both reliable and effective. The other militaries follow suit. By the 23rd century, the average civilian sports hunter has a more technologically advanced weapon than the average soldier. In fact, "advanced" small arms are treated with derision, such as the "Dally Gun" which Cletus uses to break up an ambush in Tactics of Mistake. The Dally Gun is possibly derived from a Cadillac GageCadillac Gage
Textron Marine & Land Systems is an American military contractor that manufactures armored vehicles, turrets, advanced marine craft, surface effects ships, and other weapon systems...
weapons system of the 1960s, the Stoner 63
Stoner 63
The Stoner 63, also known as the XM22/E1, is an American modular weapons system designed by Eugene Stoner in the early 1960s. It was produced by Cadillac Gage and used in very limited numbers in Vietnam by members of the United States Navy SEALs and several law enforcement...
, which (like the "Dial-A-Gun" from the story) was designed with interchangeable components for reconfiguration as needed for a particular mission. While the Stoner 63 received significant use with the SEALs of the U.S. NAVY up until 1980 (With high praise regarding both durability and reliability, although it was a bit heavier than other comparable systems), the Dally Gun was considered a failure.
The main infantry weapon throughout the Cycle is the cone rifle. This simple weapon, patterned after the Gyrojet
Gyrojet
The Gyrojet is a family of unique firearms developed in the 1960s named for the method of gyroscopically stabilizing its projectiles. Gyrojets fire small rockets, rather than inert bullets, which have little recoil and do not require a heavy barrel to resist the pressure of the combustion gases. ...
series of small arms, uses chemical-rocket-propelled flechette
Flechette
A flechette is a pointed steel projectile, with a vaned tail for stable flight. The name comes from French , "little arrow" or "dart", and sometimes retains the acute accent in English: fléchette.-Bulk and artillery use:...
s. These flechettes are cone shaped, allowing them to be stacked into tubes. The rifles are little more than launching platforms with triggering mechanisms. Because the cones (which explode on impact) accelerate after being fired from the rifle, they are more deadly at long ranges than short. Also used are spring rifles, utilizing a 5,000 sliver magazine in a non-metallic mechanism to fire a sliver up to one thousand meters.
Power guns were used (in Brothers, Ian uses his pistol to slag a lock, sealing the room into which he has placed Kensie's body), as well as sonic cannons.
The Final Encyclopedia
While the concept of the Final Encyclopedia as an information construct containing the total sum of human knowledge came about in the early days of computer technology (though including such fictional progenators as the Brain of the Skylark of Valeron in E. E. Smith'sE. E. Smith
Edward Elmer Smith, Ph.D., also, E. E. Smith, E. E. "Doc" Smith, Doc Smith, "Skylark" Smith, and Ted was a food engineer and early science fiction author who wrote the Lensman series and the Skylark series, among others...
Skylark
The Skylark of Space
The Skylark of Space by Edward E. "Doc" Smith was written between 1915 and 1921 while Smith was working on his doctorate. Though the original idea for the novel was Smith's, he co-wrote the first part of the novel with Lee Hawkins Garby, the wife of his college classmate and later neighbor Carl Garby...
series), the conceptualization anticipated the concept of cyberspace
Cyberspace
Cyberspace is the electronic medium of computer networks, in which online communication takes place.The term "cyberspace" was first used by the cyberpunk science fiction author William Gibson, though the concept was described somewhat earlier, for example in the Vernor Vinge short story "True...
and, of course, of wiki
Wiki
A wiki is a website that allows the creation and editing of any number of interlinked web pages via a web browser using a simplified markup language or a WYSIWYG text editor. Wikis are typically powered by wiki software and are often used collaboratively by multiple users. Examples include...
.
Awards
Hugo AwardHugo Award
The Hugo Awards are given annually for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year. The award is named after Hugo Gernsback, the founder of the pioneering science fiction magazine Amazing Stories, and was officially named the Science Fiction Achievement Awards...
s
- "Soldier, Ask Not" for best short story, 1965
- Lost Dorsai for best novella, 1981